Spiritual Life

Posted June 30th, 2014 by .

Spiritual Life

At Crown, students will experience a Christ-centered education and community. Living on campus, students have the opportunity to engage in Bible studies, fellowship groups, worship nights and other activities to stimulate Christian spiritual growth. Students also get the opportunity to participate in inner-city ministries, work with local youth groups, pack food at Feed My Starving Children and travel to nations where the people and culture make a life-changing impact. Crown’s atmosphere is spiritually vital, Biblically-informed, and hospitable. It makes a great place to explore one’s faith and grow deep with God.

Crown College Statement of Faith

There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons.

Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.

The Holy Spirit is a divine person, sent to indwell, guide, teach and empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.

The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.

Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God; he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.

Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life and become the children of God.

It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.

Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body. Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.

The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all of the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.

The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible and pre-millennial. This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth, which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.

Experience the Spiritual Life

The Crown College Community Covenant

Biblical Aspirations:

As a body of believers at Crown College, we commit to pursuing truth and learning to serve Christ together. We desire to be a community whose belief and behavior is inextricably intertwined, in order that we might reflect the kingdom of God to the world.

Principles and Standards:

As a Christ-centered community of growing Christians who desire spiritual transformation and value academic excellence and a globally connected community, Crown College has chosen to adopt the following principles and standards that reinforce and support a biblical worldview and lifestyle. These guidelines are at the heart of who we are as a body of believers. Some of these principles and standards apply to believers in general, and others are particular to Crown College.

Authority of the Word of God – We believe that the Word of God is the inerrant revelation for Christian belief and behavior and is our ultimate authority. By following the Scriptures regarding lifestyle decisions, an individual may discover a life of holiness in relation to God and others.

The Lordship of Christ and the Spirit-filled Life – We believe that Jesus Christ desires a personal relationship with every individual and invites us to enter into life in Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. We recognize that apart from Christ we can do nothing, and as we surrender to Him, His love will flow through our lives. This personal relationship is fostered by individuals who open themselves to God by practicing various spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, fasting, discipleship, stewardship, accountability, service, fellowship, witnessing and individual and corporate worship. When we experience God’s transforming power, we will develop personally and flourish as a community. This leads to a life which glorifies Jesus Christ, enriches the believer through the fruit of God’s Spirit and radically impacts a lost world.

Christian Character and Maturity – We believe God calls us to develop a healthy lifestyle that balances the spiritual, emotional, social, physical and intellectual dimensions of who we are. All of these areas are integral parts of the curricular and co-curricular experience at Crown College.

The Bible describes character qualities that should be present in the lives of believers. These include love, joy, kindness, peace, patience, humility, compassion, forgiveness, hospitality, integrity, self-control, generosity, care for the oppressed, commitment to justice and the recognition of the rights and needs of others. We believe that these characteristics are fully developed only through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God also identifies character qualities and actions that should not be present in the lives of believers. Included are: abusive anger; malice; jealousy; lust; sexually immoral behavior, including premarital sex, adultery and homosexuality; impure desires; prejudice based on race, sex, or socioeconomic status; greed; idolatry; slander; profanity; lying; drunkenness; thievery; and dishonesty. According to Scripture, these qualities are not acceptable for the Christian, and therefore, are unacceptable for members of the Crown College community. We need the transforming power of Christ for change to take place in these areas. The guiding principle for these choices comes from Philippians 4:8, “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Specific guidelines and standards of conduct are found in the Student and Employee Handbooks.

Conclusions About Community Life:

As such, we commit to the principles and standards of the Community Covenant, and the expectations outlined in the Student and Employee handbooks, in order to maintain the spirit and health of the community. These principles and policies are binding for all who voluntarily choose to become part of the Crown College community as representatives on the Board of Trustees, employees who minister and serve on behalf of Crown College and undergraduate students in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Recognizing that we have an obligation to hold each other accountable to biblical standards and to the commitments we have made, appropriate action will be taken to teach, influence, reconcile, discipline, or even dismiss those who disregard these community expectations. If some find themselves unable to honor these commitments, withdrawal may be in order. We will strive to have all disciplinary procedures characterized by Christian love. This Community Covenant is subject to change only by action of the Board of Trustees.

Approved BOT 5/12, eff. 7/1/12

The Chapel

The mission of Crown College is to provide a biblically-based education for Christian leadership in the Christian and Missionary Alliance, the church at-large, and the world. Our mission has, at the very core, a belief that Jesus Christ must be the very center of all we do, say, teach, and become. Because of that, spiritual life is vitally important to Crown College. While every aspect of the college has Jesus’ fingerprints upon it, a chapel service will give you a glimpse of spiritual life at Crown.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and every Sunday evening at 9:00 p.m., the campus gathers to worship Jesus, study His word and celebrate His work. You don’t want to miss these opportunities to hear from leaders on campus and around the world as they share God’s truth!

Meet our chaplain
Dr. Bill Kuhn

Dr. Bill Kuhn is a graduate of Crown College and received his Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Indiana Wesleyan University. He received his doctorate from St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis.

Bill is a gifted speaker who was a pastor in Christian and Missionary Alliance churches for 15 years. He enjoys speaking at leadership and youth worker conferences and symposiums around the country, and has had the privilege of speaking to a variety of other audiences, including children’s camps, youth camps and various college campuses and churches.

Bill’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ began in high school when a teacher spoke with him about Christ. His favorite verse is (in the words of the apostle Paul) Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ; to die is gain.” Bill appreciates the Christ-saturated focus of Paul’s life.

On Crown’s campus, Bill organizes several ministries, including four weekly chapels and directing the Christian Service program, while interacting daily with many of Crown’s more than 700 students.

Recently, Bill was chosen by the faculty of St. Mary’s University (Minn.) as the doctoral student reflection speaker at their commencement. In addition, the St. Mary’s doctoral faculty awarded Bill with the Outstanding Dissertation Award. Also, he presented his doctoral research at the Association of Christians in Student Development (ACSD) national conference. The title of his workshop presentation was, “Cultivating Spiritual Formation: A Phenomenological Study”. Bill also shared similar information at the regional conference of ACSD. In his spare time, Bill enjoys spending time with his wife and children. He’s also a guitar aficionado and enjoys playing, listening and collecting guitars.

In terms of teaching and spending time with students at Crown, Bill says, “I enjoy the interaction with students and participating in God’s work in their lives.” If you are considering Crown College, Bill would like you to know, “Crown provides a wonderful community that supports your exploration of life and faith in God. Attending Crown, you can expect a Christ-centered faculty and staff. The networks of care and services for you at Crown will give you a great opportunity to succeed and flourish, both spiritually and academically.”

Crown College Guide to Christian Service

Each student who earns a degree or certificate from Crown College must complete the Christian Service requirements to graduate. Only one credit may be earned per semester, except in the case of approved intercultural experiences, which may be scheduled more infrequently. Christian Service credits may also be earned during the summer with a maximum of one credit per summer.

Students may earn up to two Christian Service credits in any one division.

The five divisions are:

Evangelistic Ministries

Church-related Ministries

Intercultural Ministries

Community Ministries

Departmental Units

The number of required Christian Service credits is based on the particular degree or certificate a student is earning:

Certificate: 1 credit required

Associate’s Degree: 2 credits required

Bachelor’s Degree: 4 credits required

The number of required Christian Service credits may be adjusted for transfer students according to the number of transfer academic credits applied toward their degree or certificate:

Transfer Credits Applied

0-23 Credits: 4 credits required

24-53 Credits: 3 credits required

54-89 Credits: 2 credits required

90+ Credits: 1 credit required

Christian Service credit from other Bible or Christian colleges will not transfer.

Students may complete up to two departmental credits, depending on the requirement set by each department for a particular area of study. These credits are coordinated and supervised by the academic departments and are integrated into the curriculum as part of the course work for some majors. A student must receive at least a C- in the course to receive Christian Service credit. Students should check with their department to determine how many Christian Service credits (0-2) are required in order plan accordingly throughout their program.

Students who participate in an approved intercultural experience with at least five or more full days of ministry (excluding travel) are eligible to receive one Christian Service credit.

Remaining Christian Service credits may be earned through the evangelistic, church-related, intercultural or community service divisions.

Only one credit may be earned per semester or summer, unless approved by the Christian Service Director. No single experience will count as more than one Christian Service credit.

Upon receipt of all completed forms, and based upon the student’s and supervisor’s evaluations that the student was faithful to follow through with the service experience, a Christian Service credit is awarded. Grades given are C (Commendable), S (Satisfactory), or U (Unsatisfactory). These grades are recorded on a Christian Service record. Those students receiving a U (Unsatisfactory) grade will not be given Christian Service credit. Students are welcome to review their record with the Director of Christian Service.

The Christian Service Program, as part of the academic program at Crown College, exists to provide opportunities for students to serve God and to minister to the needs of others. It is the student’s individual responsibility to serve with their God-given talents and abilities in fulfilling this requirement.

(Crown College desires that through serving in the greater Crown community during their educational years, students become ready to serve their communities following the completion of their education at Crown, all while being formed to the image of Christ, to the glory of God.)

The following guidelines apply to all Christian Service credits except those that are coordinated through academic departments:

Christian Service assignments require approval by the Director by submitting the Service Contract form. Assignments begin by the fourth Friday of the semester and continue through the last class day of the semester.

Christian Service assignments should involve two to four hours of preparation and service per week or at least 28 hours a semester/experience to receive one Christian Service credit. Transportation time cannot be included in the service hours submitted for Christian Service.

Assignments with compensation, other than for covering expenses such as lodging, gas, materials, etc., will not be counted for Christian Service credit.

The experience must contribute to the development of vocational and/or ministry skills through direct contact with people.

Adequate on-site supervision will be necessary. The student and the supervisor will evaluate Christian Service assignments at the end of the service period. All evaluations and paperwork must be submitted by six weeks into the semester following the service period or Christian Service credit will not be granted. Students are responsible for calling Supervisors and ensuring that their evaluations reach the Christian Service Office on time.

Christian Service assignments should improve and develop new ministry and leadership skills, to utilize individual gifts and parallel career goals, to integrate academic study with practical experience and service, and to meet community needs and serve others.

Students must complete two Christian Service credits to be accepted into a department. Acceptance into a department is a graduation requirement that occurs in the transition between the sophomore and junior year to ensure that you are on the right track to graduate.